Lead Accountant

Vertex Education•Headquarters, AZ

About The Position

The Lead Accountant ensures the accuracy and integrity of accounting services delivered to schools and clients. The role owns complex accounting work for assigned client entities and strengthens the accounting close through technical judgment, review, and practical coaching. It handles multi-entity work, unusual transactions, and high-judgment close and reporting matters while providing day-to-day guidance to less-experienced accounting professionals. Reporting to an Accounting Manager or Senior Accounting Manager, the Lead Accountant is individually accountable for complex accounting execution, technical quality, and peer guidance, without formal people-management responsibility. The role supports client onboarding and transitions, audit preparation, and process improvements that promote consistency and financial transparency. It independently resolves matters within its expertise and escalates material risks, policy questions, and capacity concerns to the appropriate Accounting Manager.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or a related field.
Four or more years of progressive accounting experience, including monthly close, reconciliations, account analysis, and audit preparation; the posting describes this experience as preferred.
Strong knowledge of GAAP and financial reporting, with demonstrated ability to resolve complex accounting issues.
Experience with Sage Intacct.
Strong attention to detail, sound judgment, confidentiality, and ability to manage recurring deadlines.
Ability to research and explain complex accounting treatment, review work constructively, and guide less-experienced accountants.
Clear written and verbal communication with Accounting, Client Management, AP, Payroll, Financial Operations, Compliance, and external partners as appropriate.
Working proficiency with spreadsheets and enterprise accounting systems, and ability to learn and apply approved workflows and reporting tools.
Ability to identify discrepancies, assess risk, document conclusions, and escalate issues through the appropriate authority path.

Nice To Haves

CPA or progress toward CPA.
School finance, nonprofit, fund-accounting, multi-entity, or professional-services experience.
Experience with enterprise accounting systems and standardized close, audit, or reporting workflows.

Responsibilities

Lead monthly close for assigned complex client entities, including preparing complex journal entries, accruals, allocations, and adjustments.
Prepare and review balance-sheet account reconciliations, investigate variances, and resolve aged or unsupported reconciling items.
Perform balance-sheet and income-statement flux analysis, explain significant fluctuations, and identify potential errors before reporting.
Resolve non-routine and unusual transactions, multi-entity and intercompany activity, and other high-judgment close issues.
Deliver assigned close work within the agreed close calendar and raise timing or quality risks to the Accounting Manager early.
Research accounting questions, assess appropriate treatments, and document recommendations consistent with GAAP, organizational policy, and applicable school or nonprofit requirements.
Apply fund-accounting, grant, and restricted-revenue principles where applicable to school and nonprofit clients.
Prepare technical memos and supporting documentation for reviewers, auditors, and future preparers.
Serve as a resource for difficult accounting questions and escalate matters involving policy interpretation or material risk to the Accounting Manager.
Review selected Staff Accountant work for accuracy, completeness, and adherence to close procedures.
Provide timely, constructive feedback and day-to-day coaching; support onboarding and training of new team members.
Model strong documentation, review, and escalation practices for less-experienced accountants.
Prepare and review audit schedules and supporting documentation for assigned client entities.
Lead responses for assigned accounting matters and resolve follow-up questions with the audit specialty or manager as appropriate.
Support preparation of financial statements and management reports, ensuring accuracy and consistency with the general ledger.
Track and resolve audit adjustments and recommendations affecting assigned entities.
Lead accounting work for client onboarding, offboarding, balance-sheet cleanup, and other complex transitions.
Establish opening balances, chart-of-accounts mapping, and close procedures for newly onboarded entities.
Document transition status, open items, and risks for the Accounting Manager and Client Management.
Partner with Payroll, AP, Client Management, Financial Operations, and Compliance on accounting handoffs and data-quality issues.
Identify and resolve upstream data issues affecting accounting accuracy or close timelines.
Provide accurate, timely accounting information to Client Management in support of client communication and advisory services.
Improve workpapers, templates, close checklists, accounting-system practices, and training materials to strengthen team consistency.
Maintain required support and review evidence, and promptly escalate control exceptions.
Identify recurring defects, manual effort, or unclear procedures and recommend improvements through approved changes.
Serve as a subject matter expert for assigned accounting areas, processes, or systems, and maintain related process documentation, desk procedures, and job aids.
Lead training and knowledge-sharing sessions on subject matter expert topics and support adoption of new or updated procedures.
Represent assigned subject matter expert areas in system enhancements, user testing, and cross-team improvement initiatives; escalate design, policy, or capacity decisions to the Accounting Manager.
Contribute to special projects that enhance service delivery and financial transparency.